Hemostat and method of forming same



Oct. 23, 1945.

V. CALHOUN HEMOSTAT AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed March 25, 1942 a I r a VERNON CALHOUN Patented Oct. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Vernon Calhoun, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 25, 1942, Serial No. 436,218

8 Claims. (01. 128-156) The invention relates to a hemostat and to a method of forming the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple form of combined bandage and compress particularly designed for first aid practices and by means of which bleeding from an open wound may be stopped Within normal coagulating time.

Broadly this object is attained by providing a pad or compress of absorbent materials, like cotton, precompressed in one direction and in use located and held on the wound by a bandage and which is arranged so that it absorbs the blood from the wound and will act in its tendency to distend in restoring itself to its unitial uncompressed form, to exert pressure on the wound and on. the surface surrounding the same.

.Among other objects of the invention are to provide a first aid hemostat which will accelerate the coagulation of blood at the wound; which will include an anti-hemorrhage pad capable of applying sufiicient localized pressure and to maintain said pressure to arrest bleeding; which will provide a pad having capacity to conform itself. automatically to the wounded surface and which. will provide an improved form of wound dressing which will operate effectively even in unskilled hands and which can be applied to parts of the body where a tourniquet cannot be used.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in part will be more fully set forth in the following description of two forms of hemostats and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hemostat ready to be applied and constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of portions of the component elements from which the hemostat of Figure 1 is formed with parts broken away and illustrating an initial step in the methd of forming the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the start of the next or rolling step following the forming of the Figure 2 assembly;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembly at the completion of the rolling step and showing the arrangement of the parts before the partly formed pad has been compressed into its final Figure 1 form;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of the hemostat with the bandage separate from the two tails l4 and the pad and with the ends of the bandage broken off.

In the drawing and referring first to the article shown in Figure 1 there is disclosed a hemostat Ill comprising a central pad or compress H composed primarily of cotton batting, hereinafter referred to as cotton, compressed axially into a fiat cylindrical form. A single long strip l2 of surgicalrbandage gauze is secured midlength to the pad and extends from opposite sides of the bottom l3 thereof to form two tails or binding strips l4 and [5 of a length when wrapped about a wounded member to function with a tourniquet effect. The top or wound engaging side 16 is faced with a layer or layers ll of gauze fixedly secured to the pad and arranged so that loose cotton fibers cannot adhere to the tissue of the open wound.

Essentially this disclosure requires a pad or compress of highly absorbent material like cotton, compressed from its natural commercial state to an extent to maintain its form until wetted and when wetted tending automatically to revert itself to its natural expanded form, together with bandage forming means for securing the compressed pad between the wound and the formed bandage.

.For a more detailed expansion as to hOw the Figure 1 device is formed reference is made to succeeding steps illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In Figure 2 there is disclosed a long narrow strip N3 of cotton faced on one side by a single layer of surgical gauge IS. The long bandage forming strip of gauze I2 is bent back upon it- .self;atits midlength to form a closed loop Ml above the cotton-gauze strip Ill-l9. The length of the loop 20 is dimensioned to form eventually the gauze facing layer I! on the side I6 of the completed pad and thus must have a length at least equal to the diameter of the finished pad ll. Two lines of loose stitches 2| and 22 secure together the cotton strip LIB, the gauze I9 and the transversely extending bandage forming strip l2. It will be noted that the end lengthsofthegauze strip l2 which fall below the lower line of stitches 22 eventuallyform I5 for tying the bandage. The cotton-gauze strip I 8l9 is then rolled from end to end about its transverse axes starting at the right hand end of Figure 2 as illustrated in Figure 3 so that the end portion lapped bythe strip l2 becomes the innermost turn 23 of the finally formed spiral cylinder 24 shown in Figure 4. In this rolling step the gauze I9 is at the outer side of the turns of the spiral. The

outer end of the gauze I9 projects beyond the cotton IE to form an extension 25 which is bent inwardly into engagement with the adjacent exposed iace of the gauze. The gauze I9 is held in place simply by being pressed against the cylinder and does not need to be cemented or otherwise fastened in place. There is nothing in this hemostat except the cotton and gauze illustrated.

The cylinder 24 thus formed as shown in Fig,- ure 4 isv fed into the cylindricalbore of the holder of a die-press and by means of plungers engaging one or both of the ends the cylinder is compressed axially from the Figure 4 into the Figure 1 showing. As cylinder 24 has a snug but sliding fit in the holder bore there will be no com-'- pression radially in the finished pad but only axial compression. While there is an intent here to efiect a high degree of compression of the material forming the pad, it will be understood that in the compression of cotton there is a point beyond whichexcessive pressure will cause the cotton fibres to interlock and under these conditionshthere is lost the desired capacity in the pad to expand quickly when subsequently wetted, therefore, care is. exercised in the die-press operationto'see that excessive-compressionis avoided. In one practical form of: the device herein disclosed-the original. cylinder 24. was reduced to about onc -quarter of its original axial length.

Incidental to. this die-press operation the loop 26. was spread; out by a squashing action to. cover the entire wound engaging side 16 of the pad, thusv forming the protective layer or layers H which. are intended tov engage the wound.

When subjected to the compressive action of the die press the resulting pad ll becomes a fiat cylindrical disk which retains its form until wetter and when wetted distends axially and tends to approach its original length as shown in Figure 4 It is required that the pad have no expansion radial-1 y. when in use but only axial distension. The spiral form illustrated exhibits practicaliy no change in diameter when axially distending irdrh the dryFi'gure 1 condition back towards the Figure 4 configuration.

The spiral arrangement has. another advantage. In the compression of the-cylinder 24 there isipro'videdoi course, an increase indensity of the-pad considered as a whole, but the resulting density is-not uniformthroughout the'pad. There is. formed in the core or central portion of the -pad, that is, in the-innermost turn 23, an axially extending area ofmaximum density surrounded by aucylinder of less high density and in practice v the outer peripheral surface of the pad is relatiiv'ely soft but, of course, not as soft as the stock cotton used=informingthe device at the Figure 4 stage.

In practice this internal core of maximum density is the first to expend when the pad is wett'e'd and the side I6 which forms the bottom of the pad in the Figure ti-position moves down-'- wardly. towards the wound more rapidly thandoes the further outwardly located portions of the wound engaging side 'of the pad. This has the A 'efiect of causing the wound engaging side to move out of the piarie initially defining its fiat top in Figure 1 andto assume, or at least tend to assume, the contour of the particular wound with which. it is in engagement as shown in Figure 6.

The padi'a's thusfardescrib'ed assumes the face !:6 to; be flat -and such forms of devices have provenientirely. satisfactory. However, it is suggested that even better results may be attained when the side. intended to engage the wound be made somewhat concave, at least at its center -and thus provide at the instant the pad is applied in place, and for momentary use, an enlargement of the blood receiving space. For this purpose there is shown in Figure 1 a shallow depression 34 circular in outline and centered in the side Hi. This depression forms a sighting spot which also assists in centering the pad over the point where maximum bleeding is taking place.

It is also suggested that the desired rapid initial absorption of the primary blood may be facilitated by increasing the absorption area of the side 16 exposed to the wound. For this purpose there is. shown an aperture or indentation 35, in the instant case V-shape in cross section,

In forming the commercial package. for sale or distribution the tieing tails IA:- and. t5; are

wound each on itself toform the rolls 26- and 21'. The hemostat thus formed. is contained. in an envelope and otherwise, packaged in accordance with approved sanitary practices in this respect and is kept packaged. until needed foruse.

In operation the hemostat. lid is removed irom its container, the. pad '11; is: applied. face: down directly overthe with the-gauze 11' en'- gaging the and the surface of the injured member surrounding the wound the tails: M14 5 ar'e wrapped in. reverse direction at least twice aboutthe injured member and. over the pad and the endsvoi the tails: secured conventionally-as with. known forms of bandages. As the bandage is not intended to. act as: atourniquet, it is wrapped about the injured member, and is sim ply drawn about the; injured. arm snugly and v firmly but without intense binding effect.

I claim:v 1. In the art 'of forming a hemost'at, the method which. consistsin assembling a l-"eng-thoi absorbent cotton with: a racing or gauze on one side of the cotton, looping a length of bandage material transversely about one end of said length. while leaving a portion of its looped end extending beyond: the cotton, rolling the cotton with. the cotton side inwardly into a spirally wrapped cylinder, spreading the looped end pertion over the adjacent end or the cylinder to formv af ac'ing for the cylinder while leaving the ends of the banda'gematerial free-to form tieir-ig tails, and, subjectingthe cylinder tothe action of a die-press to compress the -'cylinder--axially intoa flat di'sk-l-ikeform capableci maintaining its: compressedform until wette'd andexpandib l'e axially when wett'ed.

2. In the art of formin'g a hem-ostat, the method which consists iii-laying a strip of gauze ona strip of absorbent cotton to form a length of absorbent material, extending a length 'of banda'ge gauze transversely across said length atone end-ft'hereofi; securing the cott P to theban'dakgecgauZb, rolling-t cotton side inwardly into: a sp a1: cylinder with an end of the gauze extending beyond: the-ad'- .fiace'ntend. of the: cotton s tripi and lapping the last turn. of the spinal to forma "gauze racing to the cylinder surface, and subjecting the spiral cylinder so formed to the action of a die-press to compress the cylinder into a relatively flat,

disk-like form while maintaining its initial di-,

ameter dimensions, said resulting compressed form capable of maintaining its configuration until wetted and when wetted exhibiting a tendency to restore itself to its original length cylinder.

3. In the art of forming a pad, the method which consists in assembling a strip of gauze on one face of a strip of absorbent cotton, rolling the assemblyabout its transverse axis with the cotton side innermost to form a spiral cylinder faced with the gauze, applying a layer of gauze to one end face of the cylinder to form a facing for the finally formed pad, subjecting the.cylinder so formed to the action of a diepress in which the cylinder has a sliding fit in the holder element of the press and causing the die-press to apply pressure axially of the cylinder to effect a reduction in the original length of the cylinder, thereby to form a pad capable of maintaining its form until wetted and when wetted capable of distending axially toward its original axial length.

4. In the art of forming a pad, the method which consists in forming a strip of absorbent cotton faced with gauze, rolling the assembly about its transverse axis to form a spiral cylinder, subjecting the cylinder so formed to the action of a die-press in which the cylinder has a relatively snug but sliding fit in the holder element of the press and causing the die-press to compress the cylinder axially to cause solely a reduction in the original axial length of the cylinder, thereby to forma flat cylindrical pad capable of maintaining its form until wetted and when wetted expandible axially.

5. A hemostat including a strip of absorbent cotton faced with gauze wrapped into a spiral cylinder form to form a pad, a length of gauze passed axially through the pad and permanently secured thereto, with on portion of the gauze forming a facing for the end of the pad forming the side to be applied to the wound and another portion of the gauze projecting beyond the opposite end of the pad to form a wrapping tail, and said pad compressed in the direction of its axis from its initially wrapped form and otherwis having substantially its dimensions when wrapped and said pad maintaining its compressed form until wetted.

6. In a hemostat, a pad of absorbent material provided with a wound engaging side, said pad being compressed in a direction perpendicular to the plan of said side and said Wound engaging side provided with a depression spaced Within the outlines of the pad.

7. In a hemostat, a pad of absorbent material provided with a wound engaging side and compressed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said side and said wound engaging side provided with at least one indentation acting to increase the absorbent area of said side and the 

